Corylus plant named ‘Felix’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Corylus  plant named ‘Felix’ characterized by an upright plant habit and high vigor, green developing and fully expanded leaves during the spring and summer, resistance to eastern filbert blight caused by the fungus  Anisogramma anomala  (Peck) E. Wüller, presence of random amplified polymorphic DNA markers 152-800 and AA12-850, expression of incompatibility alleles S 15  and S 21  in the styles, and DNA fingerprints at 14 of 24 microsatellite marker loci differ from both parents OSU 384.095 and ‘Delta’, and from one parent at an additional 6 marker loci.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under SpecificCooperative Agreement No. 58-5358-4542 awarded by the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture. The government has certain rights in theinvention.

Botanical denomination: Corylus avellana.

Variety designation: ‘Felix’.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Corylusplant, (hazelnut, filbert) botanically known as Corylus avellana, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Felix’. Corylus avellana is in thefamily Betulaceae.

The new Corylus resulted from a controlled cross of female parent OSU384.095 (unpatented) and male parent ‘Delta’ (unpatented) made in 1998by Shawn A. Mehlenbacher and David C. Smith. Hybrid seeds from the crosswere harvested in August 1998, stratified, and seedlings grown in thegreenhouse during the summer of 1999. From this cross, total of 157seedling trees were planted in the field in Corvallis, Oreg., USA inOctober, 1999. ‘Felix’ was discovered and selected by the Inventors as asingle plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Corvallis, Oreg. ‘Felix’ was originallyassigned the designation OSU 941.016, which indicates the row and treelocation of the original seedling. ‘Delta’ (unpatented) was released bythe Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station in 2002. OSU 384.095(unpatented) is from a cross of ‘Casina’ x OSU 55.129 (both unpatented).OSU 55.129 is from a cross of ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’(unpatented)×‘Extra Ghiaghli’ (unpatented). The pedigree of ‘Felix’includes ‘Casina’ from Asturias, Spain, ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’from Piemonte, northern Italy, and ‘Extra Ghiaghli’, which is a clone ofthe important Turkish cultivar ‘Tombul’ (unpatented).

The new cultivar was asexually reproduced by rooted suckers annually forfive years (2005-2006 and 2008-2010) in Corvallis, Oreg. The newcultivar was also asexually propagated by whip grafting in Corvallis,Oreg. The unique features of this new Corylus are stable and reproducedtrue-to-type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Felix’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Felix’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit and high vigor.    -   2. Green developing and fully expanded leaves during the spring        and summer.    -   3. Resistance to eastern filbert blight caused by the fungus        Anisogramma anomala (Peck) E. Müller.    -   4. Presence of random amplified polymorphic DNA markers 152-800        and AA12-850 in DNA of ‘Felix’ amplified by the polymerase chain        reaction. These two markers are linked to a dominant allele for        resistance to eastern filbert blight from the cultivar Gasaway        (unpatented).    -   5. Expression of incompatibility alleles S₁₅ and S₂₁ in the        styles.    -   6. DNA fingerprints at 14 of 24 microsatellite marker loci        differ from both parents OSU 384.095 and ‘Delta’, and from one        parent at an additional 6 marker loci. DNA fingerprints of        standard cultivars ‘Barcelona’, ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’ and        ‘Extra Ghiaghli’, and ‘Gasaway’, the source of eastern filbert        blight resistance, are also shown in the attached table.

In comparisons in two replicated trials conducted in Corvallis, Oreg.,plants of the new Corylus differed from plants of the Corylus avellanacultivar Barcelona (unpatented), and other cultivars and selections ofCorylus avellana known to the Inventors primarily in nut size, nutshape, kernel percentage (ratio of kernel weight to nut weight),frequency of blank nuts (nuts lacking kernels), time of pollen shed,time of nut maturity, length of the husk or involucre, and plant size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Foliage colorsin the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited inthe detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colorsof the new Corylus.

FIG. 1 shows a tree of the new cultivar ‘Felix’ growing in a field inthe summer, in Corvallis, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows the tree of the new cultivar ‘Felix’ growing in a field inJanuary, in Corvallis, Oreg.

FIG. 3 shows typical nuts, raw kernels, and blanched kernels of ‘Felix’hazelnut compared to those of ‘Jefferson’ hazelnut.

FIG. 4 shows the husks of ‘Felix’ hazelnut.

FIG. 5 shows the typical nuts, raw kernels, and blanched kernels of‘Felix’ hazelnut compared to those of ‘Barcelona’ hazelnut and otherhazelnut cultivars.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Felix has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Corvallis, Oreg. under commercial practice outdoors in thefield during the fall, winter and spring. Plants used for thephotographs and description were propagated by tie-off layerage andgrowing on their own roots, and about five years old. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1966 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Corylus avellana cultivar Felix.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Corylus avellana selection OSU            384.095 (unpatented).        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Corylus avellana cultivar ‘Delta’            (unpatented).-   Propagation (type rooted suckers):    -   -   Time to initiate roots.—About 30 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at            22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine to thick; freely branching; creamy            white in color.-   Propagation (type whip grafting):    -   -   Time to budbreak on the scions.—About 14 days at 25° C.        -   Time to produce a grafted plant.—About six months at 25° C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—Perennial shrub. Upright plant habit.        -   Growth and branching .—Freely branching; about 15 lateral            branches develop per plant. Pinching, i.e., removal of the            terminal apices, enhances branching with lateral branches            potentially forming at every node.        -   Size.—Plant height is about 6 meters; plant diameter or            spread is about 5 meters.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth.        -   Lenticels.—6 circular within 1 square centimeter (counted on            dormant scions).-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 43 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Immature — 152B; mature — 152B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 10.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 10.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong to ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse to acute.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaf bud shape.—Ovid.        -   Time of leaf bud burst.—Late, 15 days after ‘Barcelona’.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface 144A, lower            surfaces: 145A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Spring and summer, 143A; late summer and fall, 143A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: Spring and summer, 139C;            late summer and fall, 139C. Venation, upper surface: Spring            and summer, 139C; late summer and fall, 139C. Venation,            lower surface: Spring and summer, 139D; late summer and            fall, 139D. Leaf bud, 178C.-   Petiole description:    -   -   Length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.8 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper and lower surfaces — pubescent.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Spring and summer, 139D; late summer            and fall, 139D. lower surface: Spring and summer, 139D; late            summer and fall, 139D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Male inflorescences.—Catkins, color prior to elongation 194C            in shade, 176D where exposed to sun.        -   Female inflorescence.—Style color 047B.        -   Stigma coloration.—047B.        -   Time of female flowering.—Late, 2.5 weeks after ‘Barcelona’.        -   Time of pollen shed.—Late midseason, around the same time as            ‘Hall's Giant’ (unpatented).-   Involcure description:    -   -   Involucre constriction.—Absent.        -   Involucre length.—About 60% longer than nuts.        -   Strength of serration of indentation.—Deeply serrated.        -   Pubescence.—Little.        -   Thickness of callus at base.—Moderate callus at base similar            to ‘Barcelona’.        -   Description of jointing of bracts.—About 75% of involucre            slit to the base on one side, and about 25% are entire and            tubular. Involucre adheres to a few of the nuts after drop,            at the side of the basal scar. About 15% are loosely held in            tubular husks when the nuts fall.-   Nut description:    -   -   Length.—About 18.7 mm.        -   Width.—About 18.9 mm.        -   Depth.—About 16.7 mm.        -   Nut shape.—Round.        -   Nut shape index [(width+depth)/2*length].—0.95.        -   Nut compression index (width/depth).—1.13.        -   Nut shell color.—167A.        -   Nut weight.—About 2.65 grams to 2.74 grams.        -   Predominant number of fruits per cluster.—Average 2 nuts per            cluster.        -   Stripes on shell.—About 30, color slightly darker than 167A.        -   Fruit apex.—Moderately prominent.        -   Size of the fruit pistil scar.—Very small (0.5 mm×1 mm).        -   Nut curvature of the basal scar.—Flat (plane).        -   Frequency of blank nuts.—4.2%.        -   Time of nut maturity.—About 4 days earlier that ‘Barcelona’.        -   Husk length.—About 50% longer than the nuts.        -   Kernel weight.—About 1.32 grams to 1.37 grams.        -   Kernel percentage (kernel weight/nut weight).—About 50%.        -   Kernel shape.—Globular.        -   Kernel cross section shape.—Circular.        -   Kernel base shape.—Flat.        -   Lateral grooves.—None.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Corylus are highly    resistant to eastern filbert blight caused by the fungus Anisogramma    anomala (Peck) E. Müller. Plants of the new Corylus are moderately    resistant to bud mites (Phytoptus avellanae Nal.), while plants of    ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’ are highly susceptible, and plants of    ‘Barcelona’ are highly resistant.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from −10 to 38° C. in    the field in Corvallis, Oreg.

TABLE 1 Primers and annealing temperatures for the 24microsatellite marker loci used to fingerprint ‘Felix’and other hazelnut cultivars. Repeat Locus motif Size T_(a) n He Ho A613(TC)₁₃(CA)₁₂ 149-177 60 14 0.85 0.85 A614 (TC)₁₇(CA)₁₀ 125-156 60 140.85 0.85 NNN(CA)₆ A616 (AC)₁₁ 136-162 60 13 0.85 0.85 A640 (CT)₁₅354-378 67 11 0.80 0.73 (CA)₁₃ B107 (CT)₁₄ 112-151 55 14 0.85 0.80 B617(GA)₁₅ 280-298 60 9 0.80 0.78 B619 (TC)₂₁ 146-180 60 14 0.88 0.88 B634(AG)₁₅ 218-238 60 9 0.76 0.76 B657 (AG)₁₅ 210-228 60 8 0.84 0.98 B671(AG)₆NN 221-249 60 13 0.86 0.88 (GA)₁₇ B709 (GA)₂₁ 219-233 60 8 0.740.76 B733 (TC)₁₅ 161-183 60 8 0.68 0.68 B741 (GT)₅(GA)₁₂ 176-194 60 100.77 0.78 B749 (TC)₁₂ 200-210 60 6 0.60 0.64 B751 (GA)₁₅ 141-153 60 70.80 0.80 B774 (AG)₁₅ 195-213 60 8 0.80 0.80 B776 (GA)₁₇ 134-148 60 70.71 0.60 B795 (TC)₈Ns(CT)₇ 296-332 60 12 0.76 0.74 Ns(CT)₁₀ Ns(TC)₅C115 (TAA)₅ 167-226 60 14 0.80 0.80 (GAA)₁₂ KG809 (AGG)₆ 333-345 55 50.66 0.64 KG811 (GA)₁₇ 240-278 58 12 0.83 0.82 KG827 (CT)₁₃AA 264-282 679 0.78 0.84 (CA)₇ KG830 (CT)₁₄ 279-311 67 9 0.79 0.78 GTATT (CA)₈ Soman-(AAT)₅ 54 3 0.60 0.98 G Locus PIC r  LG Primers 5′-3′ A613 0.85 0.00 11Ned-CACACGCCTT GTCACTCTTT (SEQ ID NO: 1) A614 0.84 0.00 6 Hex-TGGCAGAGCTTTGTCAGCTT (SEQ ID NO: 3) A616 0.83 0.00 8 Fam-CACTCATACC GCAAACTCCA(SEQ ID NO: 5) A640 0.7 0.04 10 F-TGCCTCTGCA GTTAGTCATC AAATGTAGG(SEQ ID NO: 7) B107 0.83 0.02 10 Ned-GTAGGTGCAC TTGATGTGCTTTAC (SEQ ID NO: 9) B617 0.78 0.01 8 Fam-TCCGTGTTGA GTATGGACGA(SEQ ID NO: 11) B619 0.7 0.00 3 Fam-AGTCGGCTCC CCTTTTCTC (SEQ ID NO: 13)B634 0.73 0.00 4 Hex-CCTGCATCCA GGACTCATTA 60 (SEQ ID NO: 15) B657 0.82−0.08 11 Ned-GAGAGTGCGT CTTCCTCTGG (SEQ ID NO: 17) B671 0.84 −0.01 9Hex-TTGCCAGTGC ATACTCTGAT G (SEQ ID NO: 19) B709 0.70 −0.01 5Ned-CCAAGCACGA ATGAACTCAA (SEQ ID NO: 21) B733 0.63 0.00 7.2Ned-CACCCTCTTCA CCACCTCAT (SEQ ID NO: 23) B741 0.74 0.00 5Fam-GTTCACAGGC TGTTGGGTTT (SEQ ID NO: 25) B749 0.51 −0.03 1Hex-GGCTGACAAC ACAGCAGAAA (SEQ ID NO: 27) B751 0.77 0.01 7.2Fam-AGCTGGTTCTT CGACATTCC (SEQ ID NO: 29) B774 0.77 0.01 5Ned-GTTTTGCGAG CTCATTGTCA (SEQ ID NO: 31) B776 0.67 0.07 6Fam-TGTATGTACA CACGGAGAGA GAGA (SEQ ID NO: 33) B795 0.74 0.01 NAFam-GACCCACAAA CAATAACCTA TCTC (SEQ ID NO: 35) C115 0.77 0.00 4Fam-ATTTTCCGCA GATAATACAGG (SEQ ID NO: 37) KG809 0.60 0.01 4Hex-AGGCATCAGT TCATCCAA (SEQ ID NO: 39) KG811 0.81 0.01 2 Ned-AAGGCGGCACTCGCTCAC (SEQ ID NO: 41) KG827 0.75 −0.04 9 Fam-AGAACTCCGA CTAATAATCCTAACCCTTGC (SEQ ID NO: 43) KG830 0.76 0.00 9 Ned-TGGAGGAAGT TTTGAATGGTAGTAGAGGA (SEQ ID NO: 45) Soman-G 0.51 −0.27 NA Hex-TGGCGTTGCAACATATTCTC (SEQ ID NO: 47) Locus Primers 5′-3′ Reference A613R-CCCCTTTCACAT Gurcan et al. GTTTGCTT 2010 (SEQ ID NO: 2) A614R-GCAGTGGAGGA Gurcan et al. TTGCTGACT 2010 (SEQ ID NO: 4) A616R-ATGGCTTTTGCT Gurcan et al. TCGTTTTG  2010 (SEQ ID NO: 6) A640Fam-CGCCATATAATT Gurcan et al. GGGATGCTTGTT  2010 G (SEQ ID NO: 8) B107R-AACACCATATTG Boccacci et al. AGTCTTTCAAAG 2005; GokirmakC (SEQ ID NO: 10) et al. 2009 B617 R TGTTTTTGGTGG Gurcan et al. AGCGATG2010 (SEQ ID NO: 12) B619 R-GCGATCTGACCT Gurcan et al. CATTTTTG 2010(SEQ ID NO: 14) B634 R-GTGCAGAGGTTG Gurcan et al. CACTCAAA 2010(SEQ ID NO: 16) B657 R-AGCCTCACCTCC Gurcan et al. AACGAAC 2010(SEQ ID NO: 18) B671 R-ACCAGCTCTGGG Gurcan et al. CTTAACAC 2010(SEQ ID NO: 20) B709 R-GCGGGTTCTCGT Gurcan et al. TGTACACT 2010(SEQ ID NO: 22) B733 R-CATCCCCTGTTG Gurcan et al. GAGTTTTC 2010(SEQ ID NO: 24) B741 R-CGTGTTGCTCAT Gurcan et al. GTGTTGTG 2010(SEQ ID NO: 26) B749 R-TCGGCTAGGGTT Gurcan et al. AGGGTTTT 2010(SEQ ID NO: 28 B751 R-AAACTCAAATA Gurcan et al. AAACCCCTGCTC 2010(SEQ ID NO: 30) B774 R-TGTGTGTGGTCT Gurcan et al. GTAGGCACT 2010(SEQ ID NO: 32) B776 R-TGAGGGGAAGA Gurcan et al. GGTTTGATG 2010(SEQ ID NO: 34) B795 R-TGGGCATCATCC Gurcan et al. AGGTCTA 2010(SEQ ID NO: 36) C115 GTTTCCAGATCT Bassil et al. GCCTCCATATAA 2005b, T (SEQ ID NO: Gokirmak et al. 38) 2009 KG809 F-GGAAGGTGAGA Gurcan andGAAATCAAGT Mehlenbacher (SEQ ID NO: 40) 2010 KG811 F-GAACAACTGAAGurcan and GACAGCAAAG Mehlenbacher (SEQ ID NO: 42) 2010 KG827GAGGGAGCAAQ Gurcan and TCAAAGTTGAGA Mehlenbacher AGAAA 2010(SEQ ID NO: 44) KG830 AAAGCAACTCAT Gurcan and AGCTGAAGTCCA MehlenbacherATCA 2010 (SEQ ID NO: 46) Soman-G R-GCCATCTTTAGA unpublishedAAGTTCGATACAG (SEQ ID NO: 48) Primer fluorescent tags are FAM, HEX, andNED. Ta: annealing temperature (° C.) N: number of alleles He: expectedheterozygosity Ho: observed heterozygosity PIC: polymorphism informationcontent r: estimated null allele frequency LG: linkage group

TABLE 2 Allele sizes in ‘Felix’ and other hazelnut cultivars at 24microsatellite loci. ‘Tonda Gentile Tag Locus ‘Felix’ ‘384.095’ ‘Delta’delleLanghe’ NED A613 149/151 151/169 149/177 151/157 HEX A614 139/143135/139 143/158 125/135 FAM A616 150/150 150/150 150/150 148/150 FAMA640 368/372 368/372 362/372 354/368 NED B107 130/152 130/152 122/130134/152 FAM B617 286/286 286/286 286/286 286/296 FAM B619 156/164148/164 156/164 148/164 HEX B634 226/234 226/226 226/234 226/226 NEDB657 218/226 218/222 222/226 218/226 HEX B671 227/235 227/247 235/247237/241 NED B709 227/231 225/231 227/227 227/227 NED B733 173/179171/173 173/179 171/173 FAM B741 177/186 177/186 177/186 177/184 HEXB749 206/206 206/208 206/208 206/208 FAM B751 151/153 143/153 143/151149/153 NED B774 203/213 203/203 207/213 203/211 FAM B776 148/150137/148 137/150 137/137 FAM B795 330/330 310/330 314/330 312/330 FAMC115 197/215 173/197 197/215 173/173 HEX KG809 336/345 336/336 345/345336/339 NED KG811 248/264 242/248 254/264 254/264 FAM KG827 270/282276/282 270/270 266/268 NED KG830 291/303 289/303 291/297 291/295 HEXSMNG 196/200 196/200 196/196 196/200 ‘Extra Tag Locus ‘Barcelona’Ghiaghli’ ‘Gasaway’ NED A613 151/159 167/169 159/161 HEX A614 125/131125/150 143/158 FAM A616 142/150 150/158 148/148 FAM A640 354/374374/374 362/368 NED B107 112/134 116/116 122/128 FAM B617 286/290294/296 292/296 FAM B619 156/170 164/174 170/174 HEX B634 226/226226/226 220/232 NED B657 218/222 210/222 224/228 HEX B671 223/227227/247 235/247 NED B709 225/233 225/227 227/227 NED B733 171/173171/171 173/173 FAM B741 177/186 177/184 186/188 HEX B749 208/208208/208 206/208 FAM B751 143/153 143/147 143/143 NED B774 203/207195/203 203/209 FAM B776 135/137 135/137 146/150 FAM B795 330/330296/310 314/316 FAM C115 173/194 182/194 215/218 HEX KG809 336/336336/339 336/345 NED KG811 258/264 240/242 254/258 FAM KG827 280/282276/282 270/280 NED KG830 291/295 291/295 291/305 HEX SMNG 196/200196/200 196/196References:

-   Bassil N. V., Botta R., Mehlenbacher S. A. 2005a. Microsatellite    markers in hazelnut: Isolation, characterization and cross-species    amplification. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 130:543-549.-   Bassil N. V., Botta R., Mehlenbacher S. A. 2005b. Additional    microsatellite markers of the European hazelnut. Acta Hort.    686:105-110.-   Boccacci P., Akkak A., Bassil N. V., Mehlenbacher S. A.,    Botta R. 2005. Characterization and evaluation of microsatellite    loci in European hazelnut (C. avellana) and their transferability to    other Corylus species. Molec. Ecol. Notes 5:934-937.-   Boccacci P., Akkak, A. and Botta, R. 2006. DNA typing and genetic    relations among European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars    using microsatellite markers. Genome 49:598-611.-   Gökirmak T., Mehlenbacher S. A., Bassil N. V. 2009. Characterization    of European hazelnut (Corylus avellana) cultivars using SSR markers.    Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 56:147-172.-   Gürcan, K., S. A. Mehlenbacher and V. Erdogan. 2010a. Genetic    diversity in hazelnut cultivars from Black Sea countries assessed    using SSR markers. Plant Breeding (available on-line    doi:10.1111/j.1439-0523.2009.01753.x).-   Gürcan, K., S. A. Mehlenbacher, N. V. Bassil, P. Boccacci, A. Akkak    and R. Botta. 2010b. New microsatellite markers for Corylus avellana    from enriched libraries. Tree Genetics and Genomes (available    on-line as DOI10.1007/s11295-010-0269-y).-   Gürcan, K. and S. A. Mehlenbacher. 2010. Development of    microsatellite marker loci for European hazelnut (Corylus avellana    L.) from ISSR fragments. Molecular Breeding (available on-line).

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Corylus plant named ‘Felix’,as illustrated and described.